while examining the difference between the pride events of the 1970`s and early 80`s with a friend. here in London having just had the 2018 pride march through London . I Proffered this explanation as to why they are so different [we had been watch some BFI documentary footage of the 1976 pride march and rally with speakers ]
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I know it all went an changed after the last political pride in 1980 it was taken over by the clubs and the start of cooperate sponsorship. In 1980 it was a massive protest against Thatcher clause 28 and her policy's. After that the new gay right wing millionaires of that generation took over and made it a money spinning event . An that is how it has stayed a party and money making event for the clubs and chance for the cooperates to pink wash their reputation. I actually joint chaired then 1980 pride committee even bank rolled a lot of it personally lost a couple of thousand I could ill afford . it was largely run by the last of the gay liberation groups. That year there was a heavy police presents and a lot of the Brixton fairy's where arrested along with the gay Rasta boys and a lot of the other squatters from Railton road. I had a stand off with the press and the police commissioner that day. After they had arrested a thatcher drag act with a fake hatchet in her hat and a bottle of milk it was the first time they kettle`d a crowed as far as I am aware. Of course the next year we had the Brixton rots in April and at the next pride most of the active political gays where to busy fighting court cases or raising funds for the legal defense of people to get involved with pride and the right wing took over and did the whole pink pound thing .So those of us who are politically minded are still fighting the same old fight and have to accept that for the most part the right wing is still in control same as in straight life. though i often think that LGBT community has a slightly higher incidence of conservative right wing members .though they are not allays out and up front so to speak.
To be in the pride parade now you have to register with the police and give the names addresses and details of all the participants and all are issued with tickets to participate . 1984 or what ?
